Carroll Shelby Licensing Response

[68l30]

Two sides to every story....This is ugly. Remember, this "stuff" was useless junk to a visionary thinking ahead. But...when todays dollars are made recreating the past ...hindsight is 20/20..

There's gonna be a ton of mud slung over this one....The true Shelby "enthusiasts" are gonna be hurt in the end..Sad..

Steve

[olredalert]

------Does Shelby have an ego??? Sure! Does he deserve it??? Most decidedly! Does he have some degree of memory loss??? At his age, with his health problems,,,maybe. Should these licensees cut him some slack??? Just my opinion of course, but I would think so. Am I oversimplifying the problem??? My opinion again,,,nope!......Bill S

[Charley Lillard]

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Give Carroll the stuff back. End of story.

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The problem is he is not just asking for his stuff back. He is asking for everything SAAC has done since 1996.

[sYc]

I have read what both sides have written and I for one believe Mr. Kopec is in the right here. There is no doubt he did not steal the records, he simply took, with permission, what at the time was considered worthless paperwork. To ask him to step aside, and turn over what he has worked hard to put together the last several years is not right. If not for him and other members of the SAAC, would CS, or anyone else for that matter, know, or care, about the written history of Shelby cars? It is obvious CS was not going to do anything with the paperwork or he would not have allowed it out of his sight.

Carroll Shelby should be thanking the SAAC for what they have done the past ten years, working with him in keeping the Shelby legacy alive. Yes, the SAAC has thrived, but CS, though the Shelby Foundation has reaped major benefits as well. The sad part, because it is being played out on the Internet, the biggest loser will be the Shelby name.

Of course, CS is not the first to wake up one morning and decide to bite the hand that feeds it. I know of at least two groups within the Chevy ranks that are experiencing the same problems as the SAAC. It is amazing, and often times shameful, what chasing the almighty dollar will cause one to do. Most members who attended the Fall Chevy/Vettefest know what I mean.

[67 GTO]

The finances *should* be open to scrutiny, but it looks like CS is hoping to replace the SAAC with his own people.

"The bottom line is my legacy should be left in the hands of my family and real enthusiasts."

But he's wanting to claim the registry that others worked on for himself?? If he were to use the records he wants returned he could eventually rebuild the list, but that'd take some time. From my viewpoint, when you read the next line, it sounds like he's already figured everything out...

"Team Shelby won't be run that way. You have my word on it."

[agtw31]

the only ones coming out ahead in this whole situation are the attorneys.
too bad something couldn't have been worked out.

[1970Bluel78]

SYC??? Why did Shelby even keep the paperwork in the first place and not just toss it out. No he kept it, albeit in the attic. Who is to say nowadays with everything worth so much that CS might have had someone put it all in order later??

[sYc]

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SYC??? Why did Shelby even keep the paperwork in the first place and not just toss it out. No he kept it, albeit in the attic. Who is to say nowadays with everything worth so much that CS might have had someone put it all in order later??

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As they say, hindsight is 20/20. At the time, if CS had felt the paperwork had any value, I am sure he would have kept it, but he did not. Why should the SAAC be pentalized for having the foresight that CS apparently did not have? If CS wants control of the SAAC, there are better ways to do that rather then destory it.

I am not knocking CS, as I am in awe of the cars he built (well, excpet the Dodges ), giving him his due respect for his accomplishments, I just feel the SAAC is right in this situation.

[Stuart Adams]

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Does anyone have any insight on how this war started? It's very sad and not a positive thing for owners of Shelby's. I don't know anything about this dispute, but one thing is certain. SAACs registry efforts over the years are the single most important reason the 60s era Shelby value's have remained high.

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I agree about the SAAC being the most important reason for the values of the good cars remaining high. Imagine how great it would be if the chevy's had that.

[rubbinisracing]

The value the paperwork now has is larely atrributable to the work SAAC has done. I'd like to know where the boxes of paperwork that Rick did not take but left in Shelby's building is now. If its been disposed of then one could make a strong argument that the records he does have would have likely suffered the same fate.

If past performance is any indication of the direction and stewardship the history and records of these cars will receive while under SAAC's control vs. their possesion by CS, his heirs and business partners I hope that SAAC continues to control them.

Perhaps a complete copy of all records and documents can be made and both parties can use them to promote these cars. Then the memebership and owners of these autos can decide which groups best represent their interest.